Unlimited as to officeholder
expenses, contributions to charity, transfers to another committee,
donations to state agencies or funds, or uses for other non-personal lawful
purposes

Limited to necessary and
ordinary campaign and officeholding expenses, or charitable contributions.

Generally prohibited.

Not permitted for judges and
judicial candidates

Not permitted for surplus
funds

Alaska

Candidate, treasurer, or
deputy treasurer

No expenditures by candidate
permitted before filing date except personal travel expenses and public
opinion polls or surveys.

Surplus may be given to
charity; used to repay contributors; spent on a future campaign; used to
repay candidate up to a limited amount; donated to a party, the state, or a
municipality; or may be transferred to an office allowance fund up to a
limited amount

Use of campaign funds must
reasonably relate to election campaign. Funds may not be used to knowingly
pay in excess of fair market value for campaign goods/services; to pay a
criminal fine or penalty; or to make contributions to another candidate or
to a group.

Prohibited

Prohibited

AmericanSamoa

Requires written authorization
of treasurer

Triggers organizational report
filing

Surplus must be returned pro
rata to contributors if their identities are known. If no donors are found,
surplus may be contributed to another candidate’s fund, party, charity, or
nonprofit organization, or surplus escheats to the territory

Must be related to the
campaign

Arizona

Treasurer or authorized agent

Limited for clean election
candidates and their non-participating opponents

Limited to less than $500
prior to registering committee; limits also placed on qualifying
contributions and seed money for candidates seeking clean elections funding

Certain late obligations or
expenditures of personal funds by candidates and certain large, late
contributions to ballot measure committees must be accompanied by special
notice.

Surplus funds may be retained
for a future campaign; returned to contributors; or donated to a party
committee, certain charitable organizations, political organizations within
limits

Surplus funds may not be used
for personal use of the candidate

Surplus funds may not be used
for personal use of any person related to candidate by blood or marriage

Arkansas

After setting aside any funds
needed to pay debts, and an amount equal to the yearly salary for the office
sought, surplus funds must either be turned over to the state treasurer for
the benefit of the general revenue fund, to a nonprofit organization under
the Internal Revenue Code, to an organized political party or political
party caucus, or to contributors to the candidate’s campaign.

Special requirements cover
specifically defined carryover funds.

A candidate who takes a leave
of absence without pay from primary place of employment may take campaign
funds during the campaign and before the election as personal income, up to
the amount of income lost due to the leave of absence (such a transaction
may also be treated as a loan under certain circumstances).

Unopposed candidate may not
take any campaign funds for income for spouse or dependent children after
filing deadline (or, if opposed in the primary but not in general election,
after the date of winning the nomination) except after write-in filing
deadline if candidate files affidavit agreeing not to solicit further
contributions.

California

Candidate or treasurer

Voluntary expenditure limits
for state candidates who wish to purchase space in state ballot pamphlet

Restricted

Permitted with special
disclosure

Candidate surplus may be used
for debts or charitable contributions; contributed to a political party,
candidate for federal office, or a ballot measure committee; contributed to
an out-of-state campaign; used to defray certain legal or professional
expenses associated with the election and aftermath; or used to purchase
home or office security system subject to restrictions.

Must be directly related to
political, legislative, or governmental purpose if candidate or elected
officer receives substantial personal benefit. Certain expenditures must be
directly related regardless of benefit received.

Prohibited

Prohibited, except for certain
directly related travel.

Colorado

Professional lobbyists may not
dispense certain party funds

Prohibited

May be contributed to a
political party subject to aggregate limits; donated to an Internal Revenue
Service-recognized charitable organization; returned to contributors; or
retained for use in a subsequent election; officeholders may used surplus
for certain specified purposes related to office; may be transferred in
limited amounts, to another committee for another office of the same
candidate

Must be reasonably related to
supporting the election of the candidate.

May not be used to encourage
another candidate’s withdrawal from race.

Prohibited

Connecticut

Treasurer or those authorized
by treasurer

No expenditures permitted
until treasurer and campaign depository have been designated

Certain public expenditures
featuring incumbents running for office are prohibited in specific period
before elections

Surplus may be donated to
another committee (except one established to further the candidate’s future
campaigns), distributed pro rata to contributors, or used for transition
expenses. Ballot question committees may also distribute surplus to
government agencies or tax-exempt organizations

Only the chair, treasurer, or
designated agents may make an expenditure

Surplus funds may be donated
to a political party for political purposes; returned to donors; transferred
to a scientific, technical, or literacy or educational organization; or used
for constituent services with certain limits

May only be used for the
purpose of financing, directly or indirectly, the election campaign of a
candidate

Prohibited

Prohibited

Florida

Only campaign treasurers or
deputy treasurers

Publicly financed candidates
and those agreeing to voluntary limits (adjuisted for inflation):

$5 million for governor and
lt. governor

$2 million for cabinet

Limits may be increased under
certain circumstances

No expenditures of any
contribution received by a state or county political committee less than 5
days before an election may be made on behalf of a candidate, issue, or
political party in that election

Funds remaining after an
election are to be used to pay remaining obligations incurred prior to or on
election day. Surplus funds may be used to reimburse a candidate for
candidate’s contributions; transferred to a public officeholder account in
various amounts dependent upon office; returned pro rata to contributors;
given to a candidate’s political party (limited to $10,000); donated to a
nonprofit or charitable organization; or given to the state for the general
fund or the election campaign financing trust fund (by a state candidate) or
political subdivision (by a local candidate)

Expenditures may only be used
to influence the results of an election

Prohibited

Prohibited; additional
restrictions for family of a judicial candidate

Georgia

Candidate, chair, treasurer,
or designated agents

Excess funds may be donated to
any charitable organization and nonprofit organization; transferred to any
future campaign for the elective office for which they were received; used
for repayment of any prior campaign obligation incurred as a candidate; or
transferred to any national, state, or local committee of any political
party or to any candidate.

May only be used to defray
ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in connection with the candidate’s
campaign for elective office, or the public officer’s fulfillment or
retention of that office.

Prohibited

Prohibited

Guam

Requires written authorization
of treasurer

Permissible, as long as not
greater than $100,000

Candidates who withdraw or
cease to be candidates must return contributions to their party, or to
another candidate of the same party

Surplus may be used for
fundraising; candidate- sponsored, politically related activity; ordinary
and necessary office-holder expenses; donations to any community service,
scientific, education, youth, recreation, charitable, or literary
organization; and officeholder-related expenses

Must be related to a campaign
purpose, including donations to community, youth, social or recreational
organizations; reports, surveys, and polls

Prohibited

Generally prohibited, and
prohibited for personal expenses

Idaho

Surplus may only be used for
ordinary and necessary officeholder expenses; unlimited transfers to any
party committee; donations to charitable organizations; or any lawful
purpose other than personal use

Prohibited

Illinois

Must be authorized by chair,
treasurer, or their designated agents

May be limited for Citizens
Utility Board candidates in exchange for listing in state-sponsored voter
information pamphlet

Only for nomination,
election, or retention of a person in public office, or in connection with a
public policy question. Law limits certain types of illegal or questionable
expenditures and transactions

Comprehensive list of
expenditures prohibited

Comprehensive list of
expenditures prohibited

Indiana

Only treasurer may make
expenditures

Surplus funds may be
transferred to candidate committees, political committees, Indiana Election
Commission, political parties, certain tax-exempt organizations, used for
continuing political activity or officeholder expenses reasonably related to
the expenses of holding elective office, or returned pro rata to
contributors

Must be used for campaign, for
continuing political activity, activity related to service in an elected
office, or contributions to party committees or other candidate committees

Prohibited, except that a
candidate may, under a written contract with the candidate’s committee,
receive a salary or receive reimbursement for lost wages or salary payments
from other employment incurred by the candidate as a result of services
provided to the committee.

Prohibited for personal use,
except that a candidate may, execute a written contract with the candidate’s
committee providing that a member of the candidate’s household may be paid a
salary by the candidate’s committee.

Iowa

Must be through sole
depository account

Initial report must account
for all funds raised and spent for current election back to beginning of
activity, even if in different calendar year.

Public checkoff funds received
by a political party may not be used to lease or purchase any item whose
benefits extend beyond the time in which the funds must be spent.

Candidates’ campaign funds may
not generally be used to pay civil/criminal penalties; personal debts or
expenses; for personal services unrelated to the campaign; most motor
vehicle leases and payments; professional organization and most service
organization memberships; mortgage or rental payments for the candidate;
meals, groceries, and other food not for campaign uses; payments clearly in
excess of the fair market value of the service or item.

Generally prohibited.

Public checkoff funds
received by a political party may only be used for legitimate campaign
purposes in general elections, including salaries, rent, advertising,
supplies, travel, campaign paraphernalia, contributions to general election
candidates, and the like.

Candidate campaign funds may
only be used for legitimate campaign purposes, including salaries, rent,
advertising, supplies, travel, campaign paraphernalia, or for constituency
services or officeholder expenses.

Prohibited

Prohibited

Kansas

Must be by or through
treasurer

No expenditures permitted
until registration form properly filed

Residual funds must be
contributed to a charitable organization, a party committee, to the state
general fund, or returned in whole or pro rata to contributors

Must be for legitimate
campaign or certain officeholding expenses

Prohibited

Prohibited

Kentucky

Treasurer must make or
authorize all expenditures on behalf of a candidate

Candidates accepting public
financing limited to $1.8 million in a primary election; $300,000 in a
primary runoff election; and $1.8 million in a general election, adjusted
for inflation

No expenditures permitted
until primary campaign depository is designated

Any unexpended balance may be
returned pro rata to all contributors, transferred to candidate’s party
executive committee, retained for election to the same office, be donated to
a §501(c)(3) charity, or escheat to the state treasury

Political parties receiving
tax money may use these funds to support their party's candidates in a
general election, and for administrative costs of maintaining a party
headquarters.

Case law suggests limited
expenditure categories.

Prohibited

Prohibited

Louisiana

Any person, upon proper
notification to treasurer

No expenditures aggregating in
excess of $500 may be made by a political committee until statement of
organization is properly filed

May be returned pro rata to
contributors; given to a charitable organization; spent for or against a
candidate, political party, or a proposition; used in future political
campaigns; or activity related to a future campaign.

Special restrictions on
retention and disbursement of funds by judges and judicial candidates.

Must be related to a political
campaign or holding of office

Prohibited, except to replace
items stolen, lost, or damaged in connection with a campaign, or for
interest to candidate on repayment of a loan to the campaign

Prohibited to spouse or minor
children

Maine

PAC is limited to expenditures
of $5,000 per candidate or political committee per election

Publicly financed candidates
for governor, state senate, and house of representatives are limited in
total spending

Certain expenditures made
within 10 days before the election to which it relates may be prohibited.

Restrictions on expenditures
for liquor on election day.

Returned pro rata to
contributors; used for the candidate’s own future campaigns; transferred to
other committees; unrestricted gift to the State; gift to charitable or
educational organization; loan repayment or debt retirement of campaign
expenses; or payment for expenses incurred in performance of office to which
elected; unspent public funds revert to state

Public funds may only be used
for campaign-related purposes

Maryland

Public funds may only be spent
upon authority of candidate or treasurer. Other expenditures must be made
through treasurer.

Surplus public funds must be
repaid not later than 60 days after the election for which the funds are
granted.

Other surplus funds must be
returned on a pro rata basis to contributors; paid to a party central
committee; donated to a local board of education, recognized non-profit
educational or charitable organization; or given to a higher education
institution for scholarships

Public contributions may only
be used to further the candidate’s nomination or election, for legal
purposes, and for expenses not incurred later than 30 days after the
election.

Massachusetts

Candidate, committee
treasurer, or designee

Limits for candidates
certified to receive clean election funds, beginning with 2002 election,
with differing limits per office and per primary and general election

Public financing funds must be
spent for expenses directly related to campaign. Other candidates may make
expenditures for enhancement of their political future.

Prohibited

Generally prohibited, if for
personal use

Michigan

An expenditure may only be
made with the authorization of the treasurer or the treasurer’s designee

Gubernatorial candidates who
accept public funds limited to $2 million per election; additional
expenditures are authorized in response to editorials, endorsements, etc.
Cap may be lifted under certain circumstances.

Surplus public funds must be
promptly repaid and may not be used in a subsequent election. Other funds
may be transferred to another committee of same candidate (with
restrictions), party, legislative caucus committees, tax-exempt charitable
institution, or returned to contributors.

Judicial candidate surplus
funds must be returned to contributors or donated to state bar client
security fund.

Public funds may only be spent
on services, facilities, materials, or other things of value to further the
candidate’s election during the election year

Public funds cannot be used to
pay a candidate.

No campaign funds may be used
to personally benefit a candidate.

Public funds may not be
expended to someone within the third degree of consanguinity of the
candidate.

Judicial candidate campaign
funds may be used to pay family members for campaign work, except under
certain limited conditions.

Minnesota

Must be authorized by
treasurer or deputy treasurer of the committee or fund

Candidates accepting public
subsidies are limited as follows in election years (adjusted each election
year based on CPI; 2002 figures shown):

Governor/Lt. Governor:
$2,188,090

Attorney General: $364,690

Other statewide office:
$182,350

State Senate:
$54,740

State Representative:
$27,380

Non-election year limits are
20% of election year limits

Under certain conditions,
expenditures may increase

Limited to salaries, wages,
and fees; communications, mailing, and transportation and travel;
advertising and printing; office space and furnishings; supplies; and other
expenses reasonably related to the election.

Certain expenditures may be
designated as permissible noncampaign disbursements by law and Campaign
Finance and Public Disclosure Board rule

Prohibited

Mississippi

Prohibited for judicial
candidates

Discouraged for judicial
candidates

Discouraged for family members
of judicial candidates

Missouri

All expenditures must be made
by or through the treasurer

Limitations placed on
exploratory committees

Certain committees barred from
forming or contributing within 30 days before election

May only be used for specified
expenses

Prohibited, except for
attorney’s fees in defending certain actions

Prohibited for judges

Montana

Campaign treasurers; deputy
campaign treasurers

Voluntary expenditure limit of
$150,000 per year by political committees favoring or opposing a ballot
issue

Nebraska

Treasurers or assistant
treasurers; however, candidates and their agents are also permitted to make
expenditures

Expenditure may not be made by
a committee raising, receiving, or disbursing more than $5,000 in a calendar
year until it files a statement of organization and has a treasurer

After an election, a committee
may expend or transfer funds for continued operation of campaign offices;
social events for workers, volunteers, and constituents; obtaining public
input and opinion; repayment of campaign loans; newsletters and other
political communications; gifts of acknowledgment; and officeholder-related
meals, lodging, and travel.

After dissolution of a
candidate committee, unexpended funds may be transferred to another
candidate committee; a political party committee, a tax-exempt charitable
organization; or returned to contributors.

A committee other than a
political party may not expend or transfer funds except for goods,
materials, services, or facilities to assist or oppose a candidate for a
ballot question

A committee may not make
expenditures for the payment of a candidate's clothes, or medical or dental
expenses; mortgage or rental payments for the candidate’s permanent
residence; installment payments for an auto owned by the candidate;
satisfaction of personal debts (excluding reportable campaign loans); or
personal services (such as legal or accounting services)

A committee may not make
expenditures for the payment of a family member’s clothes, or medical or
dental expenses; satisfaction of personal debts (excluding reportable
campaign loans); or personal services (such as legal or accounting services)

Nevada

Elected and defeated
candidates and non-candidate officeholders are required to dispose of
unspent contributions in a statutorily authorized manner, including return
to contributors, contribution for political purpose, and donation to
tax-exempt nonprofit entity. Elected candidates may use for present or
future campaign expenses or public office expenses. Judicial office
candidates are subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct requirements as to
the disposition of unspent contributions. Excess of any contribution over
$5,000 must be returned to the contributor by candidate defeated in primary.

Prohibited

New Hampshire

Candidate or candidate’s
fiscal agent

Candidate may agree to limit
campaign expenditures made by candidate and by committees, political party,
and immediate family on candidate’s behalf in a primary or general election
in accordance with a maximum expenditure schedule

Before a non-party political
committee may receive contributions or make expenditures of more than $500,
a registration statement must be filed. If the political committee is
organized to support a candidate, written consent of the candidate or
candidate’s fiscal agent must be secured and filed before making
expenditures.

Surplus contributions may be
used after general or special election for fundraising or other politically
related activity sponsored by the candidate, or for donations to charitable
organizations

New Jersey

Treasurer or deputy treasurer
of a candidate, political party committee, political committee, and
continuing political committee

Spending limits for
gubernatorial candidates (excluding travel expenses) for 2001 election:
$3.8 million in primary and $8.4 million in general election. Spending
limits are subject to adjustment prior to election year to reflect changes
in campaign costs. Governor candidate receiving public funding is limited to
$25,000 in primary and $25,000 in general election from candidate’s personal
funds.

Contributions may be used for
(1) the payment of campaign expenses, (2) contributions to any charitable
organization described in § 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, or
nonprofit organization that is exempt from taxation under § 501(c) of the
Internal Revenue Code, (3) transmittal to another candidate, candidate
committee, or joint candidates committee or to a political committee,
continuing political committee, legislative leadership committee, or
political party committee for the lawful use by such other candidate or
committee, (4) the payment of the overhead and administrative expenses
related to the operation of the candidate committee or joint candidates
committee of a candidate or a legislative leadership committee, (5) the
pro-rata repayment of contributors, or (6) the payment of ordinary and
necessary expenses of holding public office. Gubernatorial candidates
limited as to use of public funds.

Prohibited

Prohibited

New Mexico

Treasurer of candidate or
political committee

Treasurer must be appointed
and separate bank account established before candidate or political
committee may make an expenditure

Judicial candidates must
return unused funds to contributors or donate to charitable organization

Prohibited

Prohibited

Prohibited

New York

Candidate or treasurer of
candidate or political committee

Expenditures may not be made
by a political committee until the designation of a treasurer and depository
have been filed

Surplus campaign funds may be
used for any lawful purpose, including transfer to political party
committee, return to donor, or holding for use in subsequent campaign

Contributions may be expended
for any lawful purpose.

Contributions may not be
converted to personal use not related to political campaign or holding
public office or party position

North Carolina

Except for independent
expenditures, candidate-related expenditures may be made only through the
treasurer or assistant treasurer of a candidate or political committee

Candidates for state
constitutional office in general election who qualify for and receive public
matching funds are subject to expenditure limit depending on office involved

Except for independent
expenditures, candidate-related expenditures may not be made until a
treasurer is appointed and certified

North Dakota

Judicial candidates may not
permit use of campaign funds for private benefit

Judicial candidates may not
permit use of campaign funds for private benefit

Northern
Mariana
Islands

Candidate or campaign
committee. Others may make expenditures if candidate treasurer does not
disapprove within three days of request for authorization to incur specific
expense.

Ohio

For a campaign committee, only
the campaign treasurer and deputy campaign treasurer

Campaign committee of a
statewide or general assembly candidate that fails to file a personal-funds
notice when receipt or expenditure of candidate’s personal funds exceeds
reporting threshold (statewide candidate—$100,000 in primary and $150,000 in
general election; general assembly candidate—

$25,000 per election) may not
expend personal funds in excess of the threshold amount.

Candidate must designate a
treasurer before candidate’s campaign committee may receive contributions or
make expenditures. Statewide

and general assembly
candidates may not make expenditures of personal funds exceeding $500 unless
funds are deposited into campaign fund of candidate’s campaign committee.

Candidate expenditures must be
legitimate, verifiable, ordinary, and necessary

Prohibited

Prohibited

Oklahoma

Treasurer and deputy treasurer
of candidate committees and other committees

Surplus funds of state
candidate/candidate committee may be disposed of by return to contributors,
donation to charitable organization, retention for a future campaign,
deposit with the state, defense of campaign legal actions, community
activity, political activity, or transfer to political party committee.
Other committees and local candidates/committees are authorized to dispose
of surplus campaign funds for permitted purposes.

Candidates may use
contributions only to defray campaign expenditures or ordinary and necessary
expenses incurred in connection with duties of public officeholder

Prohibited

Prohibited

Oregon

Expenditures must be made by
or through the treasurer of a political committee

A candidate or candidate’s
principal campaign committee may dispose of excess contributions by (1)
using them to defray and ordinary and necessary expenses incurred with
duties as an officeholder, (2) transferring them to a political committee of
a political party, (3) contributing them to a charitable organization, or
(4) using them for any other lawful purpose.

Pennsylvania

For a political committee, the
treasurer or appointed assistant treasurer

No expenditure may be made by
a political committee until a chair and treasurer have been appointed

Person making an independent
expenditure of $500 or more after final pre-election report is completed
must report expenditure within 24 hours

After financial activity is
terminated, residual funds may be used for lawful expenditures, or returned
pro rata to contributors

No candidate, political
committee chair, or treasurer may make an expenditure except as provided by
law

Judicial candidate should not
use contributions for private benefit

Judicial candidate should not
use contributions for private benefit of family

Puerto Rico

Limited for candidates for
governor and parties using public funding

Rhode Island

Campaign treasurer or deputy
campaign treasurer

Unlimited, except for
candidate for general office who accepts public funding

No expenditures may be made
before the appointment of a treasurer and the filing of such designation

Campaign funds not used to pay
for the expenses of gaining or holding public office may (1) be maintained
in campaign accounts, (2) be donated to a candidate for public office, a
political organization, or a PAC, subject to the statutory limitations on
contributions, (3) be transferred in whole or in part to a newly established
PAC, (4) be donated to a tax-exempt charitable organization, (5) be donated
to the state, or (6) be returned to the donor.

Contributions may not be used
to repay more than $200,000 during an election cycle of any cumulative
personal loans to campaign by the candidate

Prohibited

Prohibited

South Carolina

Candidates or duly authorized
officer of a committee

Disposition of excess of a
candidate or committee is restricted to specific recipients and uses

Prohibited

Prohibited

South Dakota

Necessary expenditure of money
for ordinary or usual expense of conducting a political campaign unless
expressly forbidden. Judicial candidates may not use or permit use of
contributions for private benefit.

Judicial office candidate
should not use for private benefit

Judicial office candidate
should not use for private benefit of family members

Tennessee

Political treasurer of
candidate and political campaign committee

Candidate and political
committee are required to certify name and address of political treasurer
before making an expenditure in an election

Unexpended contributions must
be allocated by authorized method within 60 days after election, including
retention or transfer to any campaign fund, return to contributors,
distributed to candidate’s party, used for officeholder expenses, and
distributed for other designated purposes

Clerical/office force;
dissemination of literature; public speakers; newspaper announcements of
candidacy; and transportation of voters unable to go to the polls

Prohibited

Judicial office candidate
should not use for private benefit of family members

Texas

Candidate for candidate’s own
election; political committee; campaign treasurer or assistant campaign
treasurer acting in an official capacity; and an individual who makes
independent, unreimbursed expenditures

Voluntary limits on aggregate
expenditures per election for judicial candidates: statewide judicial
office—$2 million; office of chief justice or justice of the court of
appeals— $500,000 if the population of the judicial district is more than 1
million, or $350,000 if the population of the judicial district is 1 million
or less; and other non-statewide judicial offices—$350,000 if the population
of the judicial district is more than 1 million, $200,000 if the population
of the judicial district is 250,000 to 1 million, and $100,000 if the
population of the judicial district is less than 250,000.

Candidates may not make or
authorize expenditures before filing a campaign treasurer appointment.
Specific-purpose political committees may not make expenditures that exceed
$500 without filing a campaign treasurer appointment. Specific-purpose and
general-purpose political committees, other than political party county
executive committees, may not make expenditures totaling more than $500 to
support or oppose a candidate for statewide office, state legislature, state
board of education, or multi-county district office unless a campaign
treasurer appointment was filed at least 30 days before the election.
General-purpose political committees, other than political party county
executive committees, may not make expenditures exceeding $500 unless a
campaign treasurer appointment was filed at least 60 days before the
expenditures and the committee has accepted contributions from at least 10
persons.

Use of public funds for
political advertising prohibited.

State agency may not use
funds under its control to support candidate.

Payment from contributions
for personal services of candidate, officeholder, or family restricted.

Reimbursement of personal
funds for expenditures by and repayment of loans made by relatives of a
candidate to a candidate or officeholder limited to an aggregate of $500,000
per election for governor and $250,000 per election for other statewide
office.

Contributions may not be
converted to the personal use of a candidate or officeholder. Specific
purpose political committee also may not convert contributions to the
personal use of a former candidate or officeholder. Expenditures from
personal funds may be reimbursed from contributions.

Payment from contributions for
personal services of candidate’s family restricted.

Utah

Candidate and the secretary of
a personal campaign committee in the case of a candidate for state executive
office. A committee member may not make an expenditure over $1,000 without
written authorization by candidate or committee secretary.

State office candidate must
file a statement of appointment of personal campaign committee before the
committee may make expenditures

Expenditures prohibited by law
may not be made

Judicial candidates may not
use contributions for candidate's private benefit

Judicial candidates may not
use contributions for private benefit of family members

Vermont

Designated treasurer

Existing surplus may be
contributed and existing debts assigned to new fund

Conversion of surplus funds to
personal use is prohibited, but candidate may use such funds to reduce
personal campaign debts

Virgin Islands

May not be made in absence of
treasurer and requires authorization by certain officials

Triggers organizational report
filing

Must be related to the
campaign

Virginia

Candidate must appoint one
campaign treasurer not later than upon acceptance of a contribution.

After filing of final report,
surplus funds may be used in a succeeding election; returned to
contributors; donated to a § 170 organization; contributed to other
candidates or committees, including a political party committee; or used to
defray unreimbursable elective office expense of candidate

Prohibited

Prohibited

Prohibited

Washington

Campaign treasurer, candidate,
or person on authority of campaign treasurer or candidate

Surplus funds may be disposed
of by return to the contributors in an amount not to exceed the original
contributions, transfer to the candidate’s personal account for
reimbursement for lost earnings during the campaign, donation to a
registered charitable organization, transmittal to the state, retention for
a future campaign for the same office, transferred to a political party or
caucus political committee, or payment of non-reimbursed
public-office-related expenses.

Contributions may be
transferred to the personal account of a candidate or expended for
candidate’s personal use for reimbursement for loans to cover lost earnings
while campaigning or performing services for the political committee and for
direct out-of-pocket expenses, or repayment of loans made to political
committee. Candidates may not be reimbursed more than $3,800 per election
for loans made to their own campaigns.

Contributions may be
transferred to the personal account of a candidate or expended for
candidate’s personal use for reimbursement for loans to cover lost earnings
while campaigning or performing services for the political committee and for
direct out-of-pocket expenses, or repayment of loans made to political
committee. Candidates may not be reimbursed more than $3,800 per election
for loans made to their own campaigns.

West Virginia

Candidates, financial agents,
and political committee treasurers

No person may act as treasurer
or financial agent before filing designation. Political party may not
disburse money for election expenses unless treasurer is appointed.

Per regulation, excess
campaign assets may be disposed of by transfer to new candidate committee;
contribution to political party committee or candidate; or returned to
contributors on a pro rata basis.

Per statute, excess funds may
be transferred by a terminating political committee to another committee for
the same candidate.

Per statute, excess
contributions may be used in connection with duties as a public
officeholder; contributed to a charitable organization; or transferred to a
political party committee, or, effective 7/2/00, to any candidate for
public office.

Generally, lawful payments for
political expenses; rent, maintenance, and furnishing of political
headquarters or office; payment of support staff; political advertising and
advertising agency services; public meeting-related expenses; travel,
lodging, and administrative expenses; nominating petition costs; prevention
of unlawful registration of voters; voter transportation; and public polls;
nominal non-cash post-election expressions of appreciation; and political
party dues/ subscriptions; and contributions to in-state party committees.
Judicial candidates may not use or permit use of contributions for private
benefit.

Prohibited, except for
reimbursement of election expenses. Use of excess campaign assets for
personal economic benefit is prohibited.

Wisconsin

Treasurer of a candidate,
political committee, political group, or individual

State office candidates who
receive election campaign fund grant may not expend more for a campaign than
amount specified in the authorized disbursement schedule unless opponents
not accepting grant do not agree to comply with the limit voluntarily

Disbursements may not be made
by candidate or personal campaign committee, political committee, political
group, or individual before registration statement is filed and campaign
depository account established

Residual funds may be used for
any political purpose not prohibited by law, returned to the donor, or
donated to a charitable organization or the common school fund

Expenditures may be made for
any lawful purpose.

Contributions must be used
for a political purpose.

Wyoming

Permissible use disposition of
excess campaign funds not specified

Candidate for judicial office
may not use contributions for private benefit of candidate

Candidate for judicial office
may not use contributions for private benefit of family